Guardian of the Night

18

"My thoughts exactly, but that still gives us too many places where the caches of barrels could be. We need to search a lot of buildings and the people who oppose us will have observers. I believe they want to coordinate the fires, for maximum destruction, but I would not put it past them to light the oil if they feel they are discovered." She turned to Trenna. "Have the Watch consult squealers. We're looking for any odd movements, empty buildings or rooms with recent activity, anything about barrels moved in the night and we need to be discrete. Only those squealers that are trusted and reliable. Our enemies have a lot of money and are not afraid to spend it."

"Moving barrels isn't too odd. Smugglers do it all the time, legitimate businesses, too. Taverns often take deliveries at night." Trenna crossed his arms, staring at the map. "Still, I see no other way ... wait. Money! Sure as I'm breathing, folk see money passing hands even when they're blind. If someone is free with their coin, I know some folks who'll know about it. I'll have the boys and girls on to their squealers, but I'll see a couple of people I know, too."

"And I shall consult records for buildings that could be targets. The Sprawl is ... disorganised, but the Senate do like their papers, deeds and contracts." Ilivno paused before looking at the map again. She pointed to one place. "This, I believe, will be one of the likeliest areas. After this point, the buildings are too tall to see the Spire and the area behind it is large. This, I am certain, will be one of the caches."

"Good. Have one of your investigators watch that building. Not to enter it! Not yet. We have to find all the locations before we move. Even one fire could cause devastation." It was a start, though a flimsy one. Bilain allowed herself a little selfish thought. "The two escorting my family? Have they returned?"

"Not yet, Chief. Give 'em time." Trenna almost laughed, but the situation they found themselves in made that seem out of place. "It's a distance to this farm you sent them to. I'd say late this afternoon. Maybe a little earlier, if they rush to get back for the taverns."

Bilain nodded at that, but she couldn't help but worry. She had now revealed to her Sergeants what had concerned her and they were both clever people. They would know Bilain had looked to save her family yet still asked for secrecy from others. Her family, and Nishrean, were safe, but she asked others to leave their families in danger. She felt ashamed at that, but not sorry. Three people leaving the Ward were one thing, thousands would cause a stampede. Hundreds could die in a rush to leave The Sprawl and the fires could become lit at any time.

There seemed little else to discuss and Bilain glanced out of the nearby window. Almost noon, she surmised, and almost time for her to return to the estate of the Lady En Lutar. As she dismissed Ilivno and Trenna from the office, she took another, long look at the map of her Ward. Many of these people she had grown up with, others she had served with in the army, yet others she had come to know in the course of her duties in the Watch.

In her hands she held their fates and it weighed upon her. From the moment Senate Secretary Asnarrus had ordered her to investigate the reasons behind Senator Yiladry's death, she had had to take on tasks far outside her normal duties. Duties that had cost her dear, but now she had taken on one extra responsibility and the cost of this could be far too much for anyone to pay. With one decision, she could send the entire population of The Sprawl racing to the bridges and the lands of the Ganshorn family.

In the rush of that evacuation, people wouldn't care about the person beside them, whether they knew them or not, as they fell to the ground, stomped upon and crushed beneath feet desperate to reach safety. Everyone would care only about them and theirs. She had seen it happen. Not to this scale, but bad enough. She had had to clear up the pulped bodies and she couldn't wish a death like that on anyone.